Christendom College President to Participate in Pontifical Meetings

October 16, 2013

As a papal consulter to the Vatican, Christendom College President Dr. Timothy O'Donnell will participate in two upcoming Pontifical meetings. From October 23-25, he will participate at the Pontifical Council for the Family's 21st Plenary Assembly in Rome, Italy. O'Donnell will then travel to Mexico City, Mexico, with the Pontifical Commission on Latin America, where, for three days, they will discuss "Our Lady of Guadalupe, star of the new evangelization on the American continent."

In Rome, Cardinals, bishops, and scholars will convene to discuss a wide range of topics on the family, such as the role of the State in recognizing marriage and the theological foundation of the Vatican's 1983 Charter of the Rights of the Family.

O'Donnell, who was first appointed as a consulter to the Pontifical Council of the Family by Pope John Paul II, and then re-appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, will consult with a diverse range of participants, from Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. As a consulter, he will also be part of an exclusive audience with Pope Francis.

In Mexico, O'Donnell will participate in a pilgrimage and meeting with church leaders, including Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston, and Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Canada.

The Commission will discuss new evangelization in light of Pope Francis' pontificate as well as other topics that include the challenges of immigration, poverty, and drug trafficking on the American continent.

For more information about the Pontifical Council for the Family or the Pontifical Commission for Latin America visit vatican.va.

About Dr. Timothy O'Donnell
A highly sought after lecturer and speaker, Dr. Timothy O'Donnell was the first layman to receive both his licentiate and doctoral degrees in Ascetical and Mystical Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome. He has taught at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, California and at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. He is a Knight Grand Cross in the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and he is a consulter to the Pontifical Council for the Family. Additionally, he is the author of Heart of the Redeemer and Swords Around the Cross: The Nine Years War. He has filmed many programs for the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) including Glory of the Papacy and Luke: Meek Scribe of Christ.